Liquid circulator



Nov. 25, 1941. M. L. DAVIES 2,263,719

LIQUID CIRCULATOR Filed Sept. 26, 1939 Fig.1.

Fig. 5.

INVENTOR fi/c/me/ A. Ody/es F4 3.: /hoy ATTOR Y Patented Nov. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIQUID CIRCULATOR Michael L. Davies, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application September 26, 1939, Serial No. 296,705

1 Claim.

My invention relates to liquid movers, and relates particularly to a single unitary self-contained prime mover and circulator.

As an illustration of the applicability of my tity of B. t. u.s or heat units from the furnace.-

Slowly circulating water cannot absorb the heat units as fast as the fire gives them off; consequently, there is a considerable loss of unused heat units passing outthe chimney or smokestack. The average rate of flow of water in the normal heating system, which depends entirely on gravity or the difference of weight between the hot water and the cooler water for its circulation, is approximately six feet per minute. This slow circulation is often the cause of the radiator on the end of the line being cool since the water has cooled considerably before reaching it. Therefore, a circulator operated by an electric motor has been used to increase the rate of flow from six feet per minute to approximately sixty feet per minute, as an example.

This relatively fast travelling water makes it possible to have the water leave the boiler at a much lower temperature than on a gravity feed system, travel through the radiators, and return to the boiler with much less temperature loss, thereby maintaining a uniform heat in heater piping and radiators at all times with less con- 4 sumption of fuel.

The above-described circulator and electric motor has been applied, as another example, to domestic water supply systems to insure a constant supply of hot water at every faucet at the same temperature. This results in reduced fuel consumption, less water wasted, and greater efficiency from the fuel that is burned.

The liquid circulator and electric motor unit, as heretofore used, were relatively large expensive units requiring packing glands-and a relatively large space as well as being heavy and cumbersome. The other units consists of a liquid impelling unit coupled to an independent drive, while my unit is one single unit.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to reduce the number of parts and the size of a combined liquid circulator and motor unit.

Another object of my invention is to provide a combined liquid circulator and electric motor as a unitary unit. 1

Another object of my invention is to provide a combined liquid circulator and electric motor which is adapted to be connected directly into the system.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly efficient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, my invention consists in the following details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following de scription, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view partly in crosssection showing a combined liquid circulator and electric motor embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing a modification of my invention.

Fig. 5 is a schematic single line diagram show ing my invention applied in a hot water heating system.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, I show in Fig. 1 a combined liquid circulator and electric motor, which may be inserted in the heating system, illustrated by a single line diagram in Fig. 5.

The combined liquid circulator and electric motor, hereinafter referred to as the circulator unit, comprises a housing or casing, generally designated as A, having a cylindrical body If) and aligned or non-aligned threaded bores l2 and [4 at each end thereof. The threaded bores I2, I4 in the casing end members l6 and I8, respectively, enable the circulator to be threaded into the pipe system. However, the threaded bore l2 may be replaced with a radially extending flange I9 whereby the circulator may be bolted to a complementary flange on the pipe line of the system.

Within the casing body 10 is mounted the electrical stator, generally designated as B, which is preferably the field of an electrical motor. The motor preferably is a single or polyphase squirrel cage motor.

A rotor, generally designated as C is positioned on a rotatable shaft 20 having longitudinal copper bars 22, whose ends are short-circuited by low resistance copper rings 24, 26. The stator B and rotor C preferably comprise a squirrel cage induction motor having starting leads 2!, 29 and running leads 30, 3|. The starting leads 28, 29 are capable of carrying heavy currents, and the motor may be started by having the split phase either of capacitance or of inductance. No slip rings need be used in the squirrel cage inductor motor, because the liquid, if water, would short-circuit the rings.

The rotor C is constructed so that the bars 22 of the rotor are spaced from the shaft, thus leaving a suflicient space 32 for liquid to pass through the rotor. The rotor C is Journaled upon oilless bearing 34, 36 which have suitable positioned radially extending spokes 38, Ill. The spokes 38 are joined to the bearing 36 and the frame end member l6 and are spaced as well as positioned in a manner to sustain the rotation of the rotor as well as to permit the free passage of liquid through the casing. The spokes 40 are placed to connect the bearing 34 to the end member l8 and also function in a manner similar to spokes 38.

A plurality of suitably positioned and spaced spokes 42 rigidly support the rotor upon the shaft 20.

At the exhaust end of the rotor C is rigidly mounted a plurality of vanes 44, which rotate with the rotor C; the circumferential end of the vanes are opened while the sides are closed by the circular disc 46 and the arcuate wall l8.

Having described the structural details of the circulator unit, the following is a rsum as to its function.

The circulator unit A is connected, as an example, directly in the liquid pipe system 50 adjacent a heater, generally designated as D, Fig. the bore I4 is joined closest to the heater D in order to take advantage of the flow of liquid under the static heat from the radiators RI and R2 located above the heater D. After the heating system has been properly connected both mechanically and electrically, the switch, whether controlled manually or thermostatically, upon starting is closed; and with the motor rotating, the running windings are closedand the starting windings of the squirrel cage motor are opened. The circulator unit forces liquid through bore H, the rotor openings 32, the space between vanes 44, out of the circumferential edges 52, through webs ill, and out bore H.

The liquid cannot short-circuit the stator, because the coil is saturated with a non-penetrating liquid substance.

Where the piping system requires a flange joint, as in Fig. 4, the end members may be modified accordingly, although the function of the circulator unit is not altered.

My invention is applicable to serve as a meter register to indicate the quantity of liquid flowing through the circulator unit illustrated in Fig. 1. When the circulator unit is used as a meter, a properly calibrated meter is attached to one set of electrical leads of the stator field; and as the liquid circulates through the rotor, current is generated in the stator and is registered on the meter. The circulating liquid serves to rotate the rotor thereby generating electrical current.

The plurality of vanes, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, may be replaced by a screw thread (not shown) to move viscous liquid, such as syrup, which otherwise would not pass through the vanes 44.

As another illustration of the applicabflity of my invention, the shaft 20 of the rotor C may be replaced by a screw (not shown) having a suitable gear arrangement as well as properly calibrated charts connected thereto so that the quantity of liquid forced through by the rotation of the rotor will register the quantity of fluid forced through the unit.

My invention is limited to circulating liquids. such as oil, water, chemicals, and other liquids and not fluid gases.

Although my invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim as my invention:

A combined liquid circulator and induction electric motor within a single housing, a bore at each end of said housing and being adapted to be connected to a suitable liquid circuit, an electric stator mounted circumferentially of and within the housing and adapted to be located within the liquid circulator, an electric rotor cooperable with said stator and having a plurality of short circuiting bars thereon, said rotor having an unrestricted central passageway through which liquid may pass, said stator, rotor and short circuiting barsadapted to be immersed within the liquid circulated,'a plurality of vanes mounted upon one end of said rotor, a pair of spaced walls mounted adjacent to and forming sides for said vanes whereby liquid will be discharged radially by centriiugal force from said vanes, and a plurality of bearings supported in the line of said centeral passageway and in the path of flow of the pumped liquid and being lubricated by the liquid in the liquid circuit.

MICHAEL L. DAVIES. 

